Shaun White is Suing Oakley for Unlicensed Use of His Image

Snowboarding legend Shaun White is suing sunglass giant Oakley, claiming they kept using his likeness to promote their product even after their deal expired.

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According to court documents obtained by The Blast, White claims he had a licensing deal with Oakley and Luxottica (which owns Sunglass Hut) that expired on December 31, 2017. But White is claiming that even after the deal ended, they…

“continued to prominently use Mr. White’s name, image, and identity, without this consent, in advertising, marketing, and promotion for Oakley and Sunglass Hut.”

He is alleging they continued to use his image in promotional material “leading up to, during and after the XXIII Olympic Winter Games … in their products and in large posters in their store windows in South Korea where the games took place and where Mr. White won his record-breaking third gold medal in snowboarding.”

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Oakley and Luxottica “did not receive Mr. White’s permission to use his publicity rights in connection with the Infringements, or otherwise to associate their companies or rands with Mr. White, or to market or sell their commercial products after the expiration of the terms of the agreement.”

White claims the alleged infringements are still going on now and is seeking unspecified damages.